The present invention relates generally to dispensing containers and, more specifically, to a dispensing container wherein predetermined amounts of the container contents may be poured into a hollow measuring cap mounted on the container. The measured amount is isolated from the remainder of the container contents, and may be dispensed therefrom through an opening in the cap, thus eliminating the need for separate measuring devices such as cups, spoons, or the like.
Dispensing containers are, of course, well known and are used in many different industries, for many different purposes. One such area is the food industry and a specific example includes jars and other similar containers which contain solid foods, such as spices, in particulate, granular or powder-like form. Typically, a measuring spoon or cup is utilized in conjunction with the jar or container so that the contents may be poured into the spoon or cup until a measured amount (as determined by the size of the spoon or gradations on the cup) dispensed from the container.
The present invention eliminates the need for measuring spoons or cups by providing a hollow cap or cover for an otherwise standard or conventional container which serves as its own measuring device. While the integration of a measuring function into a container construction for the discharge of predetermined amounts o the container contents is not new (see for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,802,284; 2,804,103; 3,860,711; 4,613,057 and 4,635,828) the present invention provides an improved and simplified structure for accomplishing this result, while retaining the desirable option of substantially unrestricted pouring and/or shaking (i.e., sprinkling) of the container contents from the dispenser cap without regard to the amount discharged.
In a first exemplary embodiment, a substantially cylindrical container body formed of glass, plastic, paper board, cardboard or other suitable material includes a peripheral side wall extending upwardly from a bottom wall and terminating at an upper open end. The upper open end typically includes means for securing a closure of the threaded or snap-on type. In conventional spice jars or containers of this type, a dispensing disk is usually inserted over the upper open end of the container (or is made an integral part of the closure) and is provided with one or more dispensing apertures for pouring or sprinkling the contents. In some conventional arrangements, a single relatively large dispensing aperture is provided while in still other arrangements, a plurality of variously sized apertures are provided for selective use by the user.
In accordance with this invention, the conventional screw or snap-on type closure is replaced with a dispensing cap which incorporates a volumetric space to thereby permit precisely measured amounts of contents to be poured from the dispensing cap. The cap in this exemplary embodiment is constructed of a transparent plastic material and is provided with volume indicators to assist the user in measuring precisely desired amounts as the contents are transferred from the jar into a volumetric space provided in the dispensing cap.
In order to successfully dispense a measured amount of contents from the dispensing cap without further material being transferred into the dispensing cap from the jar or container, a dispensing door provided on the cap must be located in diametrically opposed relationship to the dispensing aperture in the container disk so that the disk in effect provides a dam or weir against further transfer of material through the container dispensing aperture into the volumetric space created in the cap.
In a second exemplary embodiment, the dispensing cap is provided with a pair of side-by-side dispensing doors. The second dispensing door is radially and axially aligned with the dispensing aperture in tile bottle or container disk so that the user has the option to pour the contents of the container straight through the dispensing cap without regard for the amount of material dispensed. Thus, the user has the flexibility in this second exemplary embodiment to utilize the dispensing cop as a measuring cup or simply as a traditional dispensing cap.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a measuring/dispensing jar comprising a container body having a bottom wall and a peripheral side wall extending upwardly from the bottom wall and terminating at an upper open end defined by a rim, the upper open end including first means for receiving a cap, and a measuring/dispensing cap including a top wall having at least one dispensing door, and a peripheral depending skirt extending downwardly from the top wall, the peripheral skirt being divided into upper and lower portions, the lower portion including second means cooperable with the first means for removably securing the measuring/dispensing cap on the upper open end of the container body, and the upper portion including a volumetric space for receiving contents from said container body, and a disk having at least one dispensing aperture therein, the disk between the upper and lower portions of the skirt.
In accordance with another aspect, there is provided a measuring/dispensing cap for use with a standard jar having a bottom and a peripheral side wall terminating at an open upper end, tile cap including first means for receiving a cap; and a measuring/dispensing cap including a top wall having at least one dispensing door, and a peripheral depending skirt extending downwardly from the top wall, the peripheral skirt being divided into upper and lower portions, the lower portion including second means cooperable with the first means for removably securing the measuring/dispensing cap on the upper open end of the container body, and the upper portion including a volumetric space for receiving contents from the container body; and a partition having at least one dispensing aperture therein, the partition located between the upper and lower portions of the skirt.
In still another aspect, there is provided a measuring/dispensing jar comprising a container body having a bottom wall and a peripheral side wall extending upwardly from the bottom wall and terminating at an upper open end defined by a rim; the upper open end including first means for receiving a cap; and a measuring/dispensing cap including a top wall having at least one dispensing door, and a peripheral depending skirt extending downwardly from the top wall, the peripheral skirt being divided into upper and lower portions, the lower portion including second means cooperable with the first means for removably securing the measuring/dispensing cap on the upper open end of the container body, and the upper portion including a volumetric space for receiving contents from the container body; and
a partition having at least one dispensing aperture therein, the partition located between the upper and lower portions of the skirt, and wherein the measuring/dispensing cap is transparent and includes volumetric gradations in at least the upper skirt portion.
A detailed description follows, from which additional objects and advantages may become apparent.